Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/638181
ByKeithRidler The Associated Press BOISE, IDAHO Scientistsin the Pacific Northwest are studying more than a dozen watersheds to develop tem- plates on habitat restora- tion that could be used in similar streams to bolster struggling fish populations. The federal government lists 28 populations of salmon and steelhead on the West Coast that need protections due to low num- bers despite spending mil- lions of dollars every year on restoration efforts. The studies aim to make those efforts more success- ful. They focus on 17 water- sheds in Washington, Ore- gon, Idaho, Northern Cali- fornia and British Columbia and examine the benefit of everything from dam re- moval to building artificial beaver dams in tributaries. Creating templates for habitat restoration could save time and money by us- ing strategies known to pro- duce good results in similar habitats in the region, said George Pess, a research fish- eries biologist for the Na- tional Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration. "The overall goal is to learn enough to be smart about our restoration," he said, noting that the stud- ies will offer recommenda- tions to private, tribal and government entities but won't produce any legally binding regulations. Most of the studies be- gan in the 2000s. Pess said scientists are still discov- ering what works and the program will require years of monitoring. They are ex- amining how fish use wa- terways and the challenges salmon and steelhead face throughout their lives in the different watersheds. In previous restoration efforts, officials have taken out barriers, such as dams, to open up spawning habi- tat. The studies go further by trying to determine whether removing the bar- riers leads fish to change when they go to the ocean and return as adults, Pess said. That would mean res- toration efforts need to en- sure enough water flows through streams at critical times. "It's a terrific and much- needed project — getting a scientific basis for re- ally teasing out the factors preventing the recovery of wild steelhead and salmon," said Guido Rahr, president of the Wild Salmon Center, which works to protect riv- ers and wild salmon popu- lations. "They've chosen wa- tersheds with diverse and different geographies. It's really going to be helpful." In northern Idaho's Pot- latch River, a tributary of the Clearwater River, mon- itoring started in 2005 and restoration work began in 2009. About 1,000 wild steelhead use the Potlatch. Last year, state workers for the first time counted steelhead spawning beds above an area where a dam had been removed, said Brian Knoth, a fisheries bi- ologist with the Idaho De- partment of Fish and Game. Whether opening new habitat increases fish num- bers or simply causes the ex- isting population to spread out is a frequent question in the 17 study areas. To get an answer, sci- entists place small tags in fish that give off a signal when passing through an electronic field. That al- lows young fish leaving and then returning as adults to be counted. On central Oregon's Bridge Creek, workers have built artificial beaver dams as part of the study, discov- ering that the real animals moved in to expand on hu- man efforts. "It's OK if natural beavers join in on the fun," said Ste- phen Bennett, a research associate of watershed sci- ences at Utah State Univer- sity who is involved with that and other studies. Of the 17 studies, nine are in Washington state. Perhaps the most ambi- tious involves the Elwha River and the 2012 removal of a 100-foot dam that in- creased habitat by 300 per- cent. It more than a doubled spawning beds for chinook salmon and steelhead above the dam site. ENVIRONMENT St ud ie s ai m to r es to re h ab it at o f im pe ri le d No rt hw es t fis h JOHNMCMILLAN—NOAAFISHERIES Underwater antennas are visible stretching across the Little River, a tributary of the Elwha River in Washington state, where they track fish as part of monitored watershed studies to determine how the fish respond to habitat restoration. By Joan Lowy and Michael Biesecker The Associated Press WASHINGTON A U.N. panel on Monday proposed long- sought greenhouse gas emissions standards for airliners and cargo planes, but they were quickly crit- icized by environmental- ists as too weak to actu- ally slow global warming. The International Civil Aviation Organization said the agreement reached by 170 international experts requires new aircraft de- signs meet the standards beginning in 2020, and that designs already in pro- duction comply three years later. There is also a cutoff date of 2028 for the manu- facture of planes that don't comply with the standards. The standard must still be adopted by the agency's 36-nation governing coun- cil. The standards would be the first ever to impose bind- ing energy efficiency and carbon dioxide reduction targets for the aviation sec- tor. They would require an average 4 percent reduction in fuel consumption during the cruise phase of flight starting in 2028 when com- pared with planes delivered in 2015. However, planes burn the most fuel during takeoffs and landings. "It calls for about a third of the technically feasible ef- ficiency improvements that we estimate will be avail- able for new aircraft designs when the standard takes ef- fect," said Dan Rutherford, aviation direction of the International Council on Clean Transportation. But Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, president of the ICAO council, said ICAO's goal "is ultimately to ensure that when the next generation of aircraft types enters ser- vice, there will be guaran- teed reductions in interna- tional carbon emissions, Environmentalists also complained that ICAO has been working on inter- national standards for 18 years and is now proposing to give aircraft manufactur- ers another dozen years to comply. "These dangerously weak recommendations put the Obama administration un- der enormous pressure to take U.S. action against air- plane pollution," said Vera Pardee, a Center for Biolog- ical Diversity attorney who has sued the U.S. govern- ment over aviation emis- sions. Last June, the Obama ad- ministration proposed reg- ulating aircraft emissions, saying they are a threat to human health because they contain pollutants that help cause global warming. But a final U.S. decision on adop- tion of international stan- dards is likely to be left to the next presidential ad- ministration. EPA officials said at the time that the ear- liest the agency is likely to propose adoption of ICAO standards would be in 2017. Boeing is the United States' largest exporter as measured in dollar value. The company vies with Air- bus for the title of world's largest aircraft maker. The newest Boeing and Airbus designs already meet the proposed effi- ciency standards, due to de- mands for fuel savings from the airlines, environmental- ists said. In the meantime, the manufacturers get to continue selling older, less efficient designs for years to come. Airliners in use now are exempt from the new standards altogether, meaning even dirtier planes can continue to fly. Aviation accounts for about 5 percent of global greenhouse emissions, ac- cording to environmental- ists. ICAO says it's actually less than 2 percent. But that share is expected to grow as aviation grows. "We also recognize that the projected doubling of global passengers and flights by 2030 must be managed re- sponsibly and sustainably," said Aliu. The action comes two months after U.N. climate negotiators in Paris left the aviation industry out of their landmark global agreement to combat global warming. POLLUTION UN agency proposes greenhouse gas emissions standards for planes ELAINE THOMPSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE An Alaska Airlines jet takes off at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Wash. 604MainSt.,RedBluff (530) 529-5154 www.redblufflosmariachis.com Breakfast: 9am-11am 7daysaweek Join Us For Our Daily Breakfast Special www.wildwillyssmokehouse.com 8064StateHWY99E,LosMolinos across from the Mill Stream Shopping Center Tues.-Sat.11am-5pm 530 200-0656 WildWilly's Smokehouse The perfect gift for the entire family to enjoy year round. Helpsupport local small business while receiving personalized service and support. is Tehama County's Award Winning Supplier of BBQ Equipment. Featuring the most popular wood/pellet smoker/grills available. TRAVELER SMOKER only $399 with a FREE COVER & WOOD PELLETS good for 40 hours of cooking convenience! Red Bluff Outdoor Power 490 Antelope Blvd. 527.5741 Orland Saw & Mower 235 E. Walker St.865.8800 Quality Saw & Mower 2901 Douglas St. Anderson365.8700 All prices plus sales tax, license fees, doc fees, any finance charge, any dealer preparation charge, any emission charge, any documentation preparation charge, any smog fees and any tire fees. all vehicles subject to prior sale & credit approval. Sale expires Feb. 29, 2016 GrowneyMotors 1160 Main St, Red Bluff • (530) 527-1034 $ 24,995 2015 CHEVY CAMARO LT A/T, V6, PRIOR RENTAL, FACTORY WARRANTY REMAINING. #111579 ONEAT THIS PRICE February Special Best Tire Value PROMISE ® 522 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff (530) 529-1654 FREEWITHEVERYPASSENGERCAR AND LIGHT TRUCK TIRE PURCHASE www.lesschwab.com Gaumer's Jewelry•Museum•Lapidary 78 Belle Mill Road, Red Bluff, CA 530-527-6166 www.gaumers.com follow Gaumer's Jewelry, Museum, and Lapidary on Facebook ❤ ❤ Special Valentine's hours Feb. 13th, 10am-4pm ❤ www.dalescarpetandflooringredbluff.com Come in and see us in our NEW LOCATION at 330 Walnut St. Red Bluff 530-529-4004 LifeGuard's TM patented WATERPROOF BACKING system REDUCES ODORS and stains, allowing easy and more effective cleanup. | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016 4 B